Whether you are stuck at the side of the road, late for an appointment or don’t know how to get your vehicle home, having car breakdown insurance is the only sure-fire way to guarantee that your day gets back on track.
Here's how to compare breakdown insurance to find the cheapest cover for you.
Types of breakdown cover
Before you start comparing your options you will need to decide whether you want vehicle or personal cover. Whilst vehicle cover insures just one car whoever is driving, personal cover means that any car you drive or are a passenger in is insured.
Vehicle cover is generally cheaper because it affords you less flexible protection, but it's a good option for many drivers. If you only ever drive one car, or share a car with a friend or partner, vehicle breakdown cover will most likely suffice. However, if you frequently drive multiple cars then purchasing personal cover may work out better value in the long run.
When you set about your breakdown insurance comparison it is also important to consider what you're being covered for, the provider, and their selling points.
What’s included?
To find the cheapest breakdown insurance cover compare the benefits of each deal and ensure that you're not paying for services that you will need. You will also need to make sure that everything you may want to claim for is included, to avoid extra costs in the future.
The basic components of breakdown cover are roadside assistance and vehicle recovery, a good deal will include both as standard.
Roadside assistance will normally include a period of free labour by a mechanic – although bear in mind that you will still have to cough up for replacement parts or extra work if your car can't be fixed by the side of the road.
Vehicle recovery isn't included in all policies but it's worth looking for because having it in place will ensure that you can get yourself, your vehicle and passengers to your destination whatever happens on the road.
Finding the right cover
If you are looking for the best value breakdown insurance you may find the best deals focus on these provisions alone. However, key additions are definitely worth considering.
It is possible to get an extension of vehicle recovery, with onward travel. This covers the cost of extras such as car hire or accommodation made necessary by a breakdown. It can be very useful but also adds a considerable premium to breakdown car insurance, and not including it in your policy could be a good way to save money.
Most roadside assistance policies only cover you a certain distance away from your house, and adding home start cover will ensure that you are covered if your break down at home. This can be especially important if you rely on a car to get to work every morning.
Keep in mind that if you are planning to travel on the continent adding European breakdown insurance could save on considerable inconvenience and cost on your holiday.
Before deciding on any provider for motor breakdown insurance, double-check the limitations of cover to avoid being hit with unexpected charges for parts and labour.
You should also find out how many times you're able to call out the provider during your policy year because this tends to be limited on most policies.
Our breakdown insurance comparison table lists so you can find the right policy for your needs whether you're looking for a cheap personal car breakdown cover, cheap vehicle breakdown cover or cheap European breakdown cover policy.
